Firework Letdown

Product Notes

Josh Rose wishes he knew exactly where his music comes from. Growing up in the sparsely populated U.P., it would be hard for him to draw any specific conclusion. When you spend your formative years with little access to any musical events, with modest surroundings, and with the only radio station in town hawking hair bands to the end of time, it might have been tough to grow as a writer and musician. But since he decided about a year ago to put his mind to all this singer songwriter stuff and move to Grand Rapids, Josh has realized that his songs speak to the person who feels that there still are things left to say in music, that a new song is an awesome use of space, and that the singer songwriter did not die with Jim Croce. So where do his songs come from? From the ordinary things in life which make extraordinary statements. From three largest Great Lakes, which were all within a forty minute drive from where he grew up. From the immigrant bred into the genes of all of us. From the moments that we wish we could take a second to enjoy. From science, literature, sports, and history. From the pastoral landscape of Michigan that dominates the horizon. From the billboard that blocks the view of that landscape. From government, religion, and all those other taboo subjects. From a west meets east philosophy. And the list goes on. But whether his songs are plucked from the air like lightning bugs held in an old Mason jar or whether his songs are polished like the ancient stones in the Flat River, the point is the songs are what they are, moments of passing beauty in the air between us.

Josh Rose wishes he knew exactly where his music comes from. Growing up in the sparsely populated U.P., it would be hard for him to draw any specific conclusion. When you spend your formative years with little access to any musical events, with modest surroundings, and with the only radio station in town hawking hair bands to the end of time, it might have been tough to grow as a writer and musician. But since he decided about a year ago to put his mind to all this singer songwriter stuff and move to Grand Rapids, Josh has realized that his songs speak to the person who feels that there still are things left to say in music, that a new song is an awesome use of space, and that the singer songwriter did not die with Jim Croce. So where do his songs come from? From the ordinary things in life which make extraordinary statements. From three largest Great Lakes, which were all within a forty minute drive from where he grew up. From the immigrant bred into the genes of all of us. From the moments that we wish we could take a second to enjoy. From science, literature, sports, and history. From the pastoral landscape of Michigan that dominates the horizon. From the billboard that blocks the view of that landscape. From government, religion, and all those other taboo subjects. From a west meets east philosophy. And the list goes on. But whether his songs are plucked from the air like lightning bugs held in an old Mason jar or whether his songs are polished like the ancient stones in the Flat River, the point is the songs are what they are, moments of passing beauty in the air between us.